Heuchera plant named ‘Inheuredfu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Inheuredfu’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; densely foliated and bushy appearance; ruffled dark burgundy-colored leaves that become dark brown with development; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heuchera×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INHEUREDFU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant of Heuchera, botanically known as Heuchera×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inheuredfu’.

The new Heuchera plant originated from an open-pollination during July, 2007 in Heidesheim, Germany of Heuchera×hybrida ‘Peach Flambe’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,195, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Heuchera×hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heuchera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in April, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany since May, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inheuredfu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inheuredfu’ as a new and distinct Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.     -   4. Ruffled dark burgundy-colored leaves that become dark brown         with development.     -   5. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Peach Flambe’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera are more compact than plants of         ‘Peach Flambe’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera are more ruffled than         leaves of plants of ‘Peach Flambe’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera are darker and brighter         in color than leaves of plants of ‘Peach Flambe’.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the Heuchera ‘Peach Melba’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,131. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Heidesheim, Germany, plants of the new Heuchera differed primarily from plants of ‘Peach Melba’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were more ruffled than         leaves of plants of ‘Peach Melba’.     -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera and ‘Peach Melba’ differed in leaf         lamina and venation color.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the Heuchera ‘Caramel’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,560. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Heidesheim, Germany, plants of the new Heuchera differed primarily from plants of ‘Caramel’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were smaller and more         ruffled than leaves of plants of ‘Caramel’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were not as pubescent as         leaves of plants of ‘Caramel’.     -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera and ‘Caramel’ differed in leaf         lamina and venation color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Heuchera plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Inheuredfu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘Inheuredfu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn in one-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. under cultural practices typical of commercial Heuchera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 27° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 24° C. and light levels ranged from 6,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera×hybrida ‘Inheuredfu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Heuchera×hybrida ‘Peach Flambe’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,195.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of             Heuchera×hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to             seven weeks at air temperatures ranging from 24° C. to 28°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five to             eight weeks at air temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21°             C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette             plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely             foliated and bushy, dense appearance; compact and uniformly             mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 14.4 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 43 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly cordate; seven to nine palmately-lobed.         -   Apex.—Broadly obtuse.         -   Base.—Auriculate.         -   Margin.—Crenate with ciliation; ruffled.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             slightly rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 187B. In             the summer, color is closer to darker than 185A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Slightly more grey than 187B. In the             summer, color is duller than 187B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to 200C becoming closer to N200A with             development; venation, close to 187A. In the summer, leaf             color is closer to 183B and becoming closer to 183D and 182B             with development. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 187B becoming closer to 187A with development;             venation, close to 187C. In the summer, color is closer to             duller than 187B and becoming closer to 187C with             development.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescence. Texture, lower             surface: Scattered pubescence. Color, upper surface: Close             to 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to 183B. -   Flower description: Flower initiation and development have not been     observed to date on plants of the new Heuchera. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests has not     been observed on plants of the new Heuchera grown under commercial     conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to     have excellent garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, low     temperatures about −6° C. and high temperatures about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘Inheuredfu’ as illustrated and described. 